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MG · 01-14-2011, 01:25 PM

Topic Approved

**utsavchs** · 01-14-2011, 02:27 PM

Refrain Vallabhnagar Area at night after 10:30. Loots and Robberies are a common sight after 11. SYA by staying away from Vallabhnagar's Crossing and Under Flyover part. You can be ahore like ROCKRZ but dont go mess with them they are ganged and you will be banged badly.

**ROCKRZ** · 01-14-2011, 03:21 PM

Originally posted by ROCKRZ View Post

Hi everyone.. Our goa trip was very good with a good share of riding.. However, my return journey was solo via the kolad - nagothane - pali - khopoli - lonavala stretch.
this is a very dangerous route in the night cos there is a stretch of 20kms of nearly no road and no help. This stretch is also known by the locals to be a loot pone area.
Yesterday, when i was returning via this route, i stopped at a small dhaba for tea.. There 2 partially drunk teens asked me about my gear, where i was going and all that sort of questions. I just had a small chat and they asked me if i could drop one of then to lonawala? I said no and left. Since it was night, i id not exceed 40kmph.. Suddenly, a bike appeared from behind and these guys asked me directions to lonawala.. I explained them the route without stopping.. Still thy asked again, pretending that they did not get it. So i explained again. Suddenly the other guy asked me if i could lend him some money.. I smelt something fishy and started increasing the speed but thy realised this and started hurtling abuses.. So i stopped and waited them to pass.. They too stopped nd then Almost immediately, the pillion jumped off the bike and showed me a nice long knife. I understood that this was a loot.. But it was too late, i had stopped the bile and the guys were besides me by the time i realised this. So i was sure that i was gonna be looted. However, since this was my regular route, and i had already been told long time ago about the importance and the ways to divert their attention from me , I then I got an idea to divert their attention. I gently pressed the foot brake lever and suddenly left it. This diverted their attention towards the brake.. I took this oppurtunity, punched the rider on his face. I was wearing the riding gloves. His nose instantly started bleeding and he fell on the ground in front of the bike. Since both were drunk, i pushed the other guy away and immediately started my bike. Since, the pillion was still lying with his legs in front of my bike, i simply decided to run over his legs and flee. So i just ripped the bike as hard i could.. But since the road was bad, i was not able to cross 65. the other guy started his bike and started closing on me.. Soon, i realised that he was closing real fast so as soon as he reached besides me, i braked very hard. The other guy tried to brake but he slipped and fell so i went ahead and after 20kms of ripping, i finally saw a jeep with a mh- 14 numberplate and with 3guys. So i stopped them, explined everything and they assisted me in finding the nearest police stn. I was actually worried that i might have killed the other guy. The moment i reacned the stn, i exlained the police everything, thanked the jeep guys for the help and waited for the police action. They took my liscence, kept the zerox of my bike papers as a precaution. I then called up my uncle explaining what had happened, he talked with a local big shot and after 1hr of wait, the police agreed to escort me till lonavala. Then i waited there for the next police escort but since they did not turn up till 3, i decided to ride alone. And reached home by 4.15.
I consider myself very lucky that i was somehow saved. I hence request everyone to not ride on this stretch alone. If you have to come to lonavala from mahad or kolad, please take the nagothane - pen - khopoli route. It is much safer and a relaxed ride.. Also, ride solo only if you have the balls to survive such a situation or are plainly stupid. I was plainly stupid that even i knew about this danger, i chose to face it.

these days, my gloves have been now destined to be preserved in the rockrz museum of self defense.. Lol...

On a serious note, scan the discovery channel and nat-geo for self defense training programs. they are very effective.. You can even keep your old timing chain.. The best and the most effective weapon in such situations cos you can wear them on the wrist..
The most important and usefull thing is to avoid panicking cos then they have the upper hand.. You have to figure out what works for you.. Some are intrinsically very strong and most are like me, basically timid.. So understand yourself and thats all that you really need to be alive and kicking..

the thought that was forever in my mind during this complete ordeal was that "these people never leave you alive.. even if they get a lot of money cos you could always get even with them later"

**antz.bin** · 01-14-2011, 03:42 PM

Turn to Sikhism for help... wear a Kada.. carry a Kirpaan while touring / venturing at night. Use strategy followed by Rockerzzzzzzz. Surrender at first.. then when they take their guard down.. use the element of surprise to execute your attack. Most importantly.. if ever stopped by anyone(Even a girl) in the middle of the night. Never dismount / turn off the engine.

**inflammable** · 01-14-2011, 07:18 PM

Originally posted by utsavchs View Post

Refrain Vallabhnagar Area at night after 10:30. Loots and Robberies are a common sight after 11. SYA by staying away from Vallabhnagar's Crossing and Under Flyover part. You can be ahore like ROCKRZ but dont go mess with them they are ganged and you will be banged badly.

Can you throw some more light on it.. Any incidents?
I stay in Pimpri.. and use the same underpass near Hotel Kala Sagar frequently.. infact everytime.. and lot of times at midnight.. post mignight..

**pradeepa** · 01-14-2011, 08:12 PM

Originally posted by utsavchs View Post

Refrain Vallabhnagar Area at night after 10:30. Loots and Robberies are a common sight after 11. SYA by staying away from Vallabhnagar's Crossing and Under Flyover part. You can be ahore like ROCKRZ but dont go mess with them they are ganged and you will be banged badly.

Where is Vallabh Nagar?

**bluevolt** · 01-14-2011, 09:27 PM

The general thumb rule is to avoid riding at night on deserted roads - I always carry a pepper spray on all my roadtrips. I keep it in the jacket pocket as soon as it gets dark.

**Zaphod** · 01-14-2011, 09:39 PM

When I am riding solo, I make it a point to not ride after dark if its an unfamiliar route.

If someone suspicious asks me about my ride, I always tell a lie that I am waiting for my group to catch up. Chances of getting mugged becomes lower if they think you are part of a bigger group. In their mind, its not worth risking a fight with a group of 2-3 men.

Maybe I am paranoid, but I always carry this little swiss army knife in my pocket. Thankfully, I didn't have to try out its effectiveness on anyone yet. Of course, if you are surrounded by a gang, then I guess its all upto your reptilian instincts that'd take over.

I am really curious to know about unsafe roads (if any) in South India. I am of an impression that South Indian roads are relatively safer (maybe because towns aren't that far apart).

The ECR in TN has gained a very bad reputation, but the dangers seem to be more because of drunk driving.

**yellowspunk** · 01-14-2011, 09:56 PM

Never ride at night unless its damn necessary or your in a group.

Never panic ! Never resist if your surrounded or caught. they would usually operate in gangs. and its their area, if you think you can take down 2 there might be 3 more down the road.

Always research your route before hand. ofcourse we dont have info on every route so your best bet are the local tea shops and dabbas right before your enter an unknown route.

dont ever ever stop. people will act out anything to make you stop, fake accident, fake questions anything.

if your ever stopped. give away everything they ask. nothing is worth more than your life.

sure rockerz got lucky but you might not always be lucky. though those tactics are taught in any self defense class. the first lesson is to never resist. avoid any physical confrontation and give up everything they ask. your not superman and you can always buy an another watch or bike. they are after all thieves, they have nothing to lose, they have no plans of killing you, they just need booze money ! but if you resist, tempers will flair and anything can happen.

and like in rockrz case even if you escape, they will get angry over losing the chance of looting you and will give a chase if capable of and when they get hold of you, if they dont kill you be sure they will disable you.

Discretion is the better part of valour, and cowardice the better part of discretion.

**burninrubbr** · 01-15-2011, 12:48 AM

Had read about a similar incident like rockrz, a guy from banglore/pune (cant remember now) was on his way home, on a signal 2 guys ask him if he could drop em to some place, so he politely refused and drove off, after some time he saw a group of people following him in another car, and constantly tried to overtake him, he gave them side and these guys started abusing him and told him to pull over, he didn't, so they cut him off and stopped their vehicle in front of his, all the guys pulled him out of the car and started yelling and abusing him saying a ran over a lady at the signal, he then saw that guy from the signal and understood there was something wrong, but he panicked seeing the group of 5-7 people, one by-stander (a guy from the same group) joined the crowd and requested the guy to pay the mob something and settle the matter over there and not take him to the police station. Which he eventually did. And later realized that he had become a victim to these con men

Moral of the story : Don't panic and if you're right stand by it. And talk as if you know the president

**excalibur72** · 01-15-2011, 03:27 AM

Originally posted by burninrubbr View Post

Had read about a similar incident like rockrz, a guy from banglore/pune (cant remember now) was on his way home, on a signal 2 guys ask him if he could drop em to some place, so he politely refused and drove off, after some time he saw a group of people following him in another car, and constantly tried to overtake him, he gave them side and these guys started abusing him and told him to pull over, he didn't, so they cut him off and stopped their vehicle in front of his, all the guys pulled him out of the car and started yelling and abusing him saying a ran over a lady at the signal, he then saw that guy from the signal and understood there was something wrong, but he panicked seeing the group of 5-7 people, one by-stander (a guy from the same group) joined the crowd and requested the guy to pay the mob something and settle the matter over there and not take him to the police station. Which he eventually did. And later realized that he had become a victim to these con men

Moral of the story : Don't panic and if you're right stand by it. And talk as if you know the president

And a foot note: Learn Martial arts - Its not difficult. I started out at 37 yrs and now i am a brown belt. Plus it bolsters your self confidence and makes you calm.

**Seamus** · 01-15-2011, 05:18 AM

Ok now let me share my incident, well i am a frequent traveller to lonavla from mumbai. I prefer going alone in the night time. Its like 40% i have gone to lonavla alone, 60% i have gone with friends in the night time. Now friends means all in all two bikes, and four people. I need to name them in order to avoid confusion, Me riding my bike Rameez, My friend riding his pulsar 200 Munavar and pillion one javed and pillion 2 AJAY. The reason we always go to lonavla is because the roads are very good and we like doing some basic stuntings, now from the khopoli road we reached Lonavla, not taken a right to ambey valley or tiger point yet, we hault there to have tea.

Now here all the four of us are standing and having tea, next to us there is a small shop for snacks andd here there are 7-8 drunkard teenagers. 1 of them approaches us and asks us where are we from and starts admiring our bikes and stuff, now luckily ajay's childhood was spent in lonavla so he knew some basic things and also Marathi, where as in we all 3 just knew hindi.

So one of the drunkard teen comes next to us and starts talking to my Ajay in marathi, and Ajay replies to them joyfully and also says that me and Munavar we do some basic stunting and stuff. Now those drunkards insisted to Ajay to tell us to do some stuntings, i didnt agree but Munavar got up and started his stuff, at 1st they were liking at and within the next two minutes some big fat guy from their group stops Munavar and in a arrogant way tries to take the keys, Munavar just asks him that whats the matter, but this guy starts abusing Munavar and meanwhile all his group arrives and gather arounds Munavar, now this bastard when sees that he has his group he slaps Munavar on his head

NOTE: I am 100 meters away relaxing and having Tea in that cold weather and i see the mob gathered around him but i think maybe they became his Fan

I hear some guy shouting loud so i feel something is fishy, we all 3 rush there and ask them whats the matter, now i notice that the people who are making scene are those who told us to do stunting, and the drunkard who intially approached to us comes and hits me on my head very hard like a punch, luckily am wearing a helmet so as soon as he hits me he holds his hand and I could hear him shouting loudly some thing in marathi which meant MY HAND

and that makes him more annoyed now Ajay meanwhile tries to calm them down and all that stuff and in this time i and munavar start the bike and go 300meter away from that place taking javed with us, and later on ajay comes walking towards us we take him and leave that place,

Now after this incident we plan to go there back once again and execute our plan by making a pillion sit behind me with a big big stone and getting down in front of those drunkards throwing on them and running back to Mumbai but the thought of coming back to Lonavla stopped us from doing so.

We couldnt have gone to police station with this since we were afraid maybe those police would turn against us by saying that we were doing stunts and 'ULTA Hum phas jaate'

**2strokerama** · 01-15-2011, 08:13 PM

I am really curious to know about unsafe roads (if any) in South India. I am of an impression that South Indian roads are relatively safer (maybe because towns aren't that far apart).

My experiences with night riding has only been along nh7 upto some 150 kms from bangalore. These roads might seem safe for some distance as people ply to and fro devanahalli airport and there seems to be a few trucks even in the dead of night. But thats not the case....some 2 weeks back, around 4 a.m., we saw a bangalore kid at chikballapur police station saying his vehicle was stolen on on the highway....he was beaten up badly and was in a state of shock. The constable I was chatting with told us this happens now and then, before indicating us to grease his palms for the directions we were after.

Ive passed along this stretch couple of times at very late night without incident....maybe because I was travelling with a friend....but the irony in my case is that all along the way, we stopped and asked for directions from drunk guys.

But, you can expect one or two hoysala highway patrols along the stretch as well as cops checking for drunk driving. And the roads are good enough and have a few exits every so often that one can either outrun the chasers if any or confuse and lose them along the many diversions as long as its not like a 'out of the frying pan and into the fire' situation.

Generally speaking, better safe than sorry.....Id rather consider every road as unsafe however it may seem and prepare for such eventualities, preferably by not travelling at such hours.

If you have to travel at late night, make it a point to go with atleast one companion even if its in the city (where its all the more dangerous). Also, it seems better to carry a pocket knife or a handy screwdriver just in case if you're in a negotiable situation.

**smoker n doper** · 01-16-2011, 10:03 PM

Originally posted by Seamus View Post

So one of the drunkard teen comes next to us and starts talking to my Ajay in marathi,

NOTE: I am 100 meters away relaxing and having Tea in that cold weather and i see the mob gathered around him but i think maybe they became his Fan

ROFLMAO

Avoid messing/talking/helping/****ing with Drunkards...they can create any scene so its better to avoid these dumbarses !

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